THE DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE
The Diaries of Despair documents represent the largest-ever window
into the murky world of vivisection. The fact that they expose such
a high-profile and controversial programme of animal experimentation
increases their significance yet further. The papers disclosed here
are of a kind never before available for public consumption, and
are usually withheld even from the advisory committee to the Government,
the Animal Procedures Committee (APC). This is truly a historic
moment. By viewing the raw documentation you will be able to judge
for yourself - and that is an extremely important and valuable contribution
to rational debate in a modern democratic state.
The documents are divided into the following categories:
Study report and clinical signs
These documents, originally leaked on a CD-ROM, describe in detail
the parts of the experiments conducted at Huntingdon Life Sciences.
The legal victory allows Uncaged Campaigns to publish the sections
of the study reports which make a vital contribution to the public
debate on this research. We are publishing 32 of the 39 separate studies,
which sacrificed 426 higher primates in xenotransplantation experiments.
The 'Experimental Procedure' section of the study reports describe
the vivisection of both the 'source' pigs and the primate recipients,
and sets out the plans for how the animals were to be 'managed'
before and after the xenotransplantation procedures until their
death. Identifying details of suppliers and drugs have been removed
from the published documents in accordance with the agreement allowing
There were nine different types of study. For logistical reasons,
here on the website we are publishing one example for each type
of experiment. In the list below, we have published the experimental
procedure for the leading study, and this will also describe the
procedure for the studies listed subsequently - we are publishing
the clinical signs for every study.
The 'clinical signs' represent one of the most significant aspects
of the documentation to emerge from the leaks. They describe in
lay-persons terms the condition of the primates as they deteriorated
and died following the xenotransplantation procedures. While not
providing in-depth scientific data about the underlying processes
that caused the suffering, they undoubtedly reveal the horrific
ordeal endured by hundreds of monkeys and baboons. It was this record
of suffering that inspired the title 'Diaries of Despair' and formed
one of the core reasons for fighting the legal battle to expose
this scandal. In their report, which was limited by the blanket
injunction, the RSPCA commented on the particularly informative
nature of the clinical signs in determining the degree of suffering
experienced by the primates. (2)
We regard subsequent attempts by both Imutran and the Home Office
to downplay the clinical signs as dishonest and a reflection of
their callous attitude towards these animals. (3)
is heterotopic abdominal cardiac xenotransplantation in cynomolgus
monkeys, this is similar to ITN7.
These studies involved the transplantation of piglet hearts into
the abdomens of monkeys and experimentation with a combination
of immunosuppressants. The purpose of the entire programme of
research was to develop an immunosuppressive regime that prevented
rejection of the pig organs or other tissue while simultaneously
avoiding acute and fatal side-effects. That research, quite simply,
fundamentally failed. In this particular study, the monkeys' own
hearts were left in place. Therefore the pig hearts were not life-supporting,
and the purpose of the experiment was to investigate how the immunosuppressants
affected the rejection of the organ. It was agreed between Imutran
and the Home Office that these should be classified as of merely
'Moderate' severity. (4)
(Also see report section
is xenotransplantation of foetal pig islets, this is the only
study of this type. In this experiment, fragments of the pancreas,
called 'islets' were obtained from piglet foetuses and transplanted
into the kidneys of monkeys. 'Moderate' severity. (Also see report
is heterotopic cervical cardiac xenotransplantation into baboons,
is similar. These studies were among the most horrific, and involved
the transplantation of piglet hearts into the necks of wild-caught
baboons. 'Moderate' severity. (Also see report section
is bone xenotransplantation, as is ITN15.
This research consisted of the transplantation of small, crushed
pieces of pig bone into the vertebrae at the junction of the monkeys'
spine and the tail. 'Moderate' severity. (Also see report section
is orthotopic cardiac xenotransplantation in baboons, as is IAN007.
Wild-caught baboons had their chestbones split apart ('sternotomy')
in order to replace their own hearts with those from piglets.
The studies were investigating both whether pig hearts could support
life in these animals and also the effectiveness of immunosuppressant
combinations. These were the only experiments to be categorised
as of 'Substantial' severity. (Also see report section
is cartilage xenotransplantation, there were no other similar
studies. Pig cartilage was grafted into the knee joints of monkeys.
'Moderate' severity. (Also see report section
is heterotopic abdominal cardiac xenotransplantation in baboons,
as is ITN25.
These experiments saw piglet hearts transplanted into the abdomens
of baboons, while their own hearts were left in place. 'Moderate'
severity. (Also see report section
was a immunosuppressive drug toxicity test. A group of six monkeys
were dosed at levels that were used in transplantation experiments
with an experimental drug which was suspected of causing a blood
disorder, leading to haemorrhaging. The experiment lasted for
10 days, at which point the primates were killed and autopsied.
is heterotopic kidney xenotransplantation into cynomolgus monkeys,
with and without splenectomy. There were lots of similar studies:
In these studies, a piglet kidney was transplanted into an unnatural
position within the lower abdomens of the monkeys, and both of
the primates' own kidneys then removed. In some studies, splenectomy
(removal of the spleen) was also performed as an immunosuppresssive
technique. 'Moderate' severity. (Also see report section
Note on terminology:
"Heterotopic" transplants refer to transplants
of organs into abnormal positions, while "orthotopic"
transplants refer to grafts of organs into their usual positions
in the body.
The original leak contained many hard copies of internal reviews,
letters, and correspondence with the Home Office and collaborating
institutions. The documents published here comprise most of those
listed by Uncaged Campaigns and Dan Lyons as revealing the major
issues of public interest. Key extracts
from the unpublished documents are quoted in the Diaries of Despair
report itself. The second leak, that occurred in October 2002 and
emanated from the Home Office, is discussed in more detail and published
in the government section. Once again, identifying
details of suppliers and drugs have been removed from the published
The originally published documents were divided into four sets,
and this classification is retained:
- 'I' documents
provided general background to the research programme.
documents revealed information particularly about cruelty
to wild-caught baboons.
documents focussed on the impact on cynomolgus monkeys.
documents demonstrated the role of HLS in the research programme.
The second leak of documents are prefixed with the letters 'ND'
(referring to 'New Documents'), and these are particularly informative
in terms of the relationship between the Home Office and Imutran,
the attitude of Imutran to the regulatory framework and the adequacy
of the Government's enforcement of those regulations. Furthermore,
these documents reveal that Imutran submitted false information
to the Government in its applications for licenses to perform its
experiments, a potentially criminal breach of the Animals (Scientific
Procedures) Act 1986.
- In the remaining seven studies, 47 monkeys were
used in 'administration' studies, which examined the effects of
substances designed to alter immune system responses. The substances
do not appear to have been particularly toxic. See section 6.4
of the report.
- See section 5.2 of the RSPCA report, available
- See Guilty Government
section 5b ("The Chief Inspector's review") and
the "Imutran inaccuracies"
section (2(iv)) of The Legal Battle.
- See The Legal Battle
section 2(iii)(a) ("Deliberate underestimation of animal